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Throughout my entire childhood I remember waking up to yelling and screaming. There was a specific time I remember walking down the hallway seeing broken glass from our family photos on the floor, a shattered mirror hanging on the wall, and my helpless mother crying. Now that I am 23 years old, and an independent woman, my dad wants no part of me due to the fact that he can no longer use me as a weapon to hurt my mother and because he cannot manipulate me. Instead, as a result of the unjust decisions the court has made, my 14 year old brother is now in the heart wrenching, unimaginable position that I once stood in. All the painstaking memories (like my father attempting to run over my mother with her car), have stuck with me through the years, and have affected me greatly. I, as a mother myself, and an older sibling do not want the same for my brother.
After 17 years of my mother being in an abusive controlling relationship, one night my mother decided to go to a movie. Upon her return, my dad was in a rage of fury. He proceeded to argue with her; from there it escalated into a physical confrontation. At that point I remember wanting to help my mother but I was so frightened that all I could do was watch. My mother then managed to pick up the house phone to call 911. My father grabbed the phone during the struggle and she was forced to release the phone, at which time, my dad was struck with the phone in his face. When the police arrived and proceeded to investigate, my father, in a moment of spitefulness, accused my mother of assaulting him. Being that he was the one with the injury, which he caused himself, my mother was then taken into custody and arrested for assault. During my mother’s incarceration, he managed to file an injunction against her and he then gained temporary custody of my two brothers and me.
My mother felt forced to go back into her abusive relationship because of the decision that was made by the courts and could not bear to be without her children. Since 2003 my father has maintained temporary custody of all three of us, and that is why my mother accepted the consequences and returned home.
Three months later they reconciled and continued their relationship, a short time after, the abuse started over again. Four years later my mother decided to leave him again. She then filed for child support and that is when the courts informed my father that he still had custody of his children even though they had reconciled their differences. Once my dad knew that he still had temporary custody, he took advantage of the situation. He knew by having custody of us, he was able to use us as weapons in having control over my mother. In April of 2008 my mother was at work when I received a phone call stating that my brother was taken by my father.
Since then my mother has engaged an attorney and the courts refused to even discuss her gaining custody back. How could something like this happen? Is this what America has come to that your child can be taken away from you for no provable reason what so ever? We need to use our voices and put a stop to the injustice of the court system to protect children like my little brother.
My mother is a wonderful, great, consistent provider to my brothers and I. How can you deprive a great mother of her children? How is it that in America a great mother could lose her children to an alcoholic drug abuser? Imagine, having your child taken away from you from one day to the next and not being able to see, or speak with your child. Up to this day my father and his sister have been isolating my little brother away from my mom and the rest of the family. In addition, the state of Florida has billed my mother $54,000 for back arrears for child support, even though she went back with her abuser during that time period.
Please take time to review and sign this petition and pass it along in order to help me to reunite my 14 year old brother and my mother. Together, all of our voices can surely make a difference. I pray for your support and thank you sincerely for your time.
Warmest Regards and Many Thanks.
Give custody back to my mother after custody WRONGFULLY given to her abuser
Greetings,
We are deeply outraged that in America today a child can be taken from their mother, with no history of abuse or neglect toward them. It is in his best interest that he be removed from the custody of his abusive father and return to the loving care of his mother.
We are seeking that the State of Florida undo the damages that have been done by their ruling and refusal to review this case and to remove the child from his current living situation and reunite him with his mother. The Florida Court System has broken their commitment to the Florida residents and we are being failed.
The Osceola County Courts have abused their power and have failed to seek justice for the appropriate party. Is this the kind of country we are living in where the authorities protect the abuser and continue to re-victimize the victim? IF family courts were acting in the "best interests of the child" AS REQUIRED BY STATUTE, they would be weighing the harms and benefits of ANY proposed custody arrangement, but many children have been, and still are, being taken away from their protective parent and placed with their abusers, by court orders.
Is this a message that we are sending to the abused victim, that if they call 911 for help, they may lose custody of their children to the abuser? It is time that the court system takes a stand in enforcing its own policies and stop giving custody to the wrong parties. It’s time to stand together and demand proper examination of all of the facts through a solid investigative effort in cases such as this. Please join us in making your voices heard so that sufferers of abuse will be protected and supported in their efforts to raise and nurture their families.
Sincerely,
[Your name]